Chinese military vows continuous anti-corruption efforts

BEIJING — The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) pledged to continue the fight against corruption in its education campaign.

Inspections and auditing will continue and corrupt military personnel will receive harsher punishment, the Central Military Commission (CMC) affirmed.

PLA’s Party leaders were told to address the negative impact on the army’s ideological, political and organizational work of former CMC vice chairman Xu Caihou’s graft case.

The leaders were also reminded to ensure honest and transparent reporting on “personal affairs”, and relatives and subordinates that worked closely with them.

Party representatives must fully understand the military countercorruption drive, so that they identify existing problems and address them in a strict and urgent manner, the CMC leaders said.

“Grey zones” and “hidden rules” must be eliminated, the leaders continued.

More regulation on the power of Party leaders in the PLA was needed, and decisions on the selection of officers, major expenditure, construction projects and material procurement, should be made collectively by the Party committee rather than by individual Party leaders,

The education campaign, which started in January, is designed to promote honesty and discipline in officers.

CMC vice chairmen Fan Changlong and Xu Qiliang and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan, as well as seven CMC members participated in the meetings of the members of the standing committees of the Communist Party of China at the “big units” of the PLA including four headquarters and seven military area commands.

They made the remarks at the meetings, during which the Party leaders in the “big units” were given lessons from Xu Caihou’s case, while reflecting on their own problems.

Military prosecutors wrapped up the investigation into Xu Caihou, who is by far the highest ranking military official ever to have been prosecuted. The filing process began in October 2014.

Xu was found to have taken advantage of his position to assist in the promotion of others. He accepted bribes personally and through his family, and he sought profits for others in exchange for money.